Appliance for feeding boilers.



W. B. D. PONNINGHAUS. APPLIANCE FOB-FEEDING BOILERS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 14, 1909.

Patented May 16, 1911.

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Patented May 16, 1911.

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00 O O O O 9 0 W. B. D. PONNINGHAUS. APPLIANCE FOR FEEDING BOILERS.

APPLICATION IILBD MAY 14, 1909.

WITNESSES:

THE NORRIS Psrsss co., WASHINGTON. 0. c4

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WILHELM BARTHOLDT DIDRICK PONNINGHAUS, OF PRAI-IRAN, VICTORIA,AUSTRALIA, ASSIGNOR TO HAMILTON MCIVIURDIE, OF WINDSOR, VICTORIA,AUSTRALIA.

APPLIANCE FOR FEEDING BOILERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1911.

Application'filed May 14, 1909. Serial No. 496,052

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILHELM BARTHOLDT DIDRICK PONNINGHAUS, a subject ofthe King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 26 Nottingham street,Prahran, in the county of Bourke, State of Victoria, Com monwealth ofAustralia, machinery importer, have invented a certain new and usefulImproved Appliance for Feeding Boilers, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to that class of appliance used to force waterinto steam boilers by the aid of a vacuum or partial vacuum.

In the past it has been proposed to feed a boiler automatically from achamber or casing into which feed water is drawn by a vacuum, the saidvacuum being caused by the condensation of steam. The theory has been tocut off and turn on steam from the boiler by the rising and falling of afloat in the chamber, the float being adapted to cut off the admittanceof steam when the water level was low and permit of the steam then inthe chamber being condensed. A vacuum being caused by the condensation,feed water has been sucked into the chamber, the float rising with thesaid incoming water and being adapted to again turn on steam from theboiler. The water in the chamber has then been gradually forced, by thesteam pressure, into the'boiler, the float descending with the waterlevel and again cutting off steam. The steam in the chamber has thenbeen condensed and another vacuum formed causing the chamber to againrecharge with feed water.

The object of this invention is to provide, upon this principle, a cheapand simple appliance, positive and quick in action, by which water ismaintained in a boiler at a predetermined height, and which appliance isnot affected in its working by heat from the said boiler.

According to this invention, in the casing adjoining the boiler, steamis admitted by a water and steam controlling mechanism hereinafterdescribed and which mechanism is actuated by a float. Upon the water andfloat falling to a low level, admittance of steam is cut off and thesteam in the casing allowed to escape, through the mechanismaforementioned, and become condensed as hereinafter described. A partialvacuum is formed, by the condensation, inside the said casing and feedwater enters. The float rising with the water operates the mechanismallowing steam from the boiler to again enter the casing and force thewater into the said boiler.

The appliance is simple in construction, has but few parts, is notliable to derangement and can be easily repaired when occasion requires.

In addition to the foregoing it is easily installed, calls for nospecial attention and will act under any pressure of steam. By slightmodifications it may be used for portable, traction or other morerapidly traveling prime movers.

Referring to the drawings which form a part of this specificationFigure1 shows a view of the water and steam controlling mechanism of thisinvention, portion being broken away for convenience of illustration. Ahammer is over to the right of its travel and in the position itoccupies when steam is entering into the casing. In broken lines thehammer is shown in its highest position and ready to fall either rightor left. Fig. 2 shows a part sectional plan of the water and steamcontrolling mechanism, portions being broken away for convenience ofillustration. The hammer is over to the right of its travel and in theposition it occupies when steam is entering the casing. Fig. 3 shows asectional view; a plug of the water and steam controlling mechanismbeing in the position it occupies when it has cut off the admittance ofsteam from the boiler. The steam in the casing is escaping forcondensation. The plane of section is indicated by line XX Fig. 2 and abypass steam inlet is clearly seen in fragmentary lines. Fig. 4: is asectional view, on a reduced scale, of the appliance as attached to aboiler. The water in the boiler has fallen to its lowest limit andrequires replenishment. The float in the casing has also fallen causingthe hammer to fall over to the left. The plug is then in the positionindicated in Fig. 3 and steam is exhausting from the casing into acondenser in the feed watertank. Feed water is just about to be drawninto the casing. Fig. 5 is a view of an appliance in which the feedwater tank is above the casing into which the water descends by gravityassisted by a partial vacuum. The special condenser is then dispensedwith. A gage glass is removed. a

Similar numerals of reference indicate like or corresponding parts wherethey occur in the several views On reference to the drawings andparticularly Fig. 4, it will be seen that 2 is a steam boiler in whichis a furnace 3. From the boiler leads a steam pipe 4 controlled by asteam valve 5. Into the boiler passes a water feed pipe 6.

Adjacent to the boiler is a feed water tank 7. In this is situated thewater to be fed to the boiler. This water tank is open on the top andinto it leads an exhaust pipe 8. At the bottom of this exhaust pipe issituated a condenser 9. The area and conformation of this will dependupon circumstances. In the bottom of the condenser is an outwardlyopening escape and non return valve 10. Also passing into the said feedwater tank is a suction pipe 11. At the bottom of the suction pipe 11 issituated a strainer 12 and non return valve 13. The said suction pipemay pass into any portion of the casing and if passing into the topthereof an extension from the cap 40 of the hollow plug 35, hereinafterdescribed, causes a steam jet to issue and create a pressure above thewater inlet, so that the steam is kept dry and does not condense withinthe casing. Above the said feed water tank and adjacent to the boiler issituated a copper casing 14. This has a removable top 15 and a gageglass 16. The top and bottom of the casing need not necessarily be ofcopper. Into and near the top of the said casing passes the steam pipe4. Also the exhaust pipe. There is also communicating with the bottom ofthe said casing the suction pipe 11 and the feed pipe 6, in the latterof which is a downwardly moving non return valve 17. Inside the saidcopper casing 14 is situated a float 18. Through a central hole in thesaid float is passed a central rod 19. This has a collar 20 at itsbottom and near its top an adjusting nut 21 whereby the said float cantravel independently of the said rod for any predetermined distance. Tothe top of the said rod is pivoted the lower end of a connecting rod 22.Instead of the float traveling independently of the said rod it may befixed to the same. Situated Within the said casing and near the top ofthe same and intermediately situated between the steam pipe 4 and theexhaust pipe 8 is a shell 23 (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4). In this shell is atapered hole to accommodate a plug hereinafter referred to. Across thesaid shell is formed a by-pass steam inlet 24, shown in fragmentarylines in Fig. 3. This passes steam from the steam pipe 4 at the steamside of the shell to the exhaust side of the shell and the steampressure upon the said plug is therefore the same and may enter the plugfrom both sides; and the said plug being in a state of equilibrium moveseasily and wears equally around its circumference. Protruding from thesaid shell is a right stop pin 25. Also a left stop pin 26. Extendingfrom the said shell is an externally threaded protuberance 27. Turningloosely around the said externally threaded protuberance 27 is a tappetplate 28. In this is an internally threaded hole fitting loosely aroundthe externally threaded protuberance 27 The object of threading theprotuberance and threading the hole is to maintain the said tappet platein correct alinement. Protruding from the said tappet plate is a righttappet pin 29 and a left tappet pin 30. Secured to the said tappet plateis an actuating pin 31 to which the upper end of the connecting rod 22before referred to is pivoted. Said tappet plate is limited in itstravel by the right stop pin 25 and the left stop pin 26. Also turningloosely around the externally threaded protuberance 27 is an internallythreaded ring 32. This ring is clear and independent of the tappet plate28. Extending from the ring is an arm 33, on the outer end of which is ahammer 34. This hammer is actuated by the right tappet pin 29 and lefttappet pin 30.

Inside the shell before referred to is situated a hollow plug 35(particularly Figs. 2 and 3). This is retained within the shell by anadjusting nut 36. Extending across and through the said plug is a steamhole 37. Also on one side of the plug is an exhaust hole 38. Extendingfrom the small to the large end of the plug is an escape hole 39 withwhich the steam hole 37 and the exhaust hole 38 communicate. The escapehole 39 is covered by a cap 40 which distributes the steam over thecasing. In the cap are escape holes 41. To the end of the said plug isattached a cross head 42. From this pro trudes a right pin 43 and a leftpin 44.

Instead of the feed water .tank 7 being situated below the casing it maybe situated above the same (Fig. 5). The exhaustpipe which becomes anexhaust pipe and a water suction pipe then communicates directly to thefeed water tank without the condenser and without the suction pipebefore described. The feed water then descends direct into the casingbut the appliance is a little slower in action as the controllingmechanism being covered no steam pressure can mount until the water hasa sufficient temperature to prevent condensation of the incoming steam.

The cycle of operations with this invention is as follows:Supposing thatthe float 18 is rising due to ingoing water it lifts with it theconnecting rod 22. As the connecting rod 22 rises it lifts the left handside of the tappet plate 28. WVhen the left tappet pin 30 strikes thearm 33 of the hammer 34 it lifts the said hammer. Directly the saidhammer passes overthe top of its center it falls suddenly to the right.As its arm descends it strikes the right pin 43 in the cross head 42 ofthe plug 35. The cross head moves circumferentially and with it the plug35. The movement of the cross head is limited by the right stop pin 25.The steam in the steam pipe 4 passes in through the bypass 24 into thesteam hole 37 in the plug, then into the escape hole 39 in the same andfinally into the casing. When the water begins to sink within thecasing, by passage into the boiler, the float descends and on thedescent of the float the tappet plate 28 moves and the right tappet pin29 rises and lifts the arm 33 of the hammer. Vhen the hammer reaches thetop of its stroke it suddenly falls to the left and strikes the left pin44 on the cross head 42. The cross head descends and strikes the leftstop pin 26. The plug is turned and the steam in the casing 14 iscommunicated through the holes 41, escape hole 39 and exhaust hole 38,with the exhaust ipe 8. From the exhaust pipe 8 it passes down to thefeed water tank where it enters the condenser 9. When some of it hasescaped through the escape and non return valve 10 the said valvecloses, a vacuum being formed within the said condenser by thecondensation of the steam. This vacuum is communicated backwardly intothe casing through the passageways before referred to and a partialvacuum is formed within the casing. The valve 17 closes and the partialvacuum sucks up water through the strainer 12, non return valve 13 andsuction pipe 11 in the feed water tank and the said water passes intothe casing. It rises above the height of the water in the boiler andagain elevates the float. There is always a certain amount of warm waterremaining in the casing when arranged as just described, and this risesupon the top of the incoming feed water so that when steam is againadmitted from the boiler no condensation takes place but operations goon with continuity.

In the modification the steam and water controlling mechanism act in thesame way as before described, except that there is no special condenserin the feed water tank from which the water flows into the casingwithout having to be lifted; but the action is, though eflicient, sloweras aforesaid.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is.-

1. In an improved appliance for feeding boilers, comprising a casing, afloat within said casing, a rod having its lower end slidably adjustablewithin said float, a water and steam controlling mechanism mountedwithin the upper portion of said casing, com- I said shell formedprising a member formed with an externally threaded protuberanceprojecting therefrom, a tappet plate formed with an internally threadedhole fitting loosely upon said protuberance, an actuating pin projectingfrom said tappet plate, and a connecting link j oining said tappetplate, and the rod within said float.

2. In an improved appliance for feeding boilers, comprising a casing, aremovable top attached to said casing, a feed water tank adjacent tosaid casing, a steam exhaust pipe leading from said casing to said feedwater tank, a valve controlled water feed pipe connecting said casing tothe boiler, a steam pipe connecting said casing to the boiler, a suctionpipe connecting the bottom of said casing to the feed water tank, afloat mounted within said casing, an actuating rod adjustably andslidably mounted within said float, a water and steam controllingmechanism mounted within the upper portion of said casing and comprisinga hollow shell, a taper hollow plug mounted in said shell, a crossheadattached to said taper plug, striking pins secured to said cross-head, ahammer mounted on said shell and adapted to strike said pins, and ingsaid hammer and attached to said actuating rod.

3. In an improved appliance for feeding boilers, comprising a casing, afeed water tank adjacent to said casing, a feed water pipe and a steampipe connecting said casing to the boiler, a downwardly opening valve insaid feed pipe, an exhaust water pipe connecting said casing to saidfeed water tank, a shell mounted within said casing and communicatingwith said exhaust water pipe and the steam inlet, a threadedprotuberance extending from said shell, a right hand and a left handstop pin secured upon said shell, with a by-pass inlet for controllingthe water and steam supply, a hollow plug mounted in said shell, a hammer pivoted upon said shell for actuating said hollow plug, a tappetplate mounted on said shell, pins formed on said tappet plate foractuating said hammer by the movement of said plate, and a float in saidcasing for operating said tappet plate by the upward movement of saidfloat caused by the rise of the water in said casing.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILHELM BARTHOLDT DIDRIOK PONNINGHAUS.

Witnesses:

EDWIN PHILLIPS, CECIL MoPLAsrRm Copies of this patent may be obtainedfor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, .D. G.

